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Good Metal from Finland? Who'd have thought it...

Finland seems to be a hotbed for talent in the metal world, and if you asked someone to name their five favourite metal bands, chances are at least one of them would hail from Finland. The Finnish history of metal is astounding; from legends like Stratovarius, right through to red hot new offerings like Imperanon. So where do Omnium Gatherum fit in all of this?

The answer is right inbetween Children of Bodom and Norther, which is a fair way to describe Omnium Gatherum. But before you start worrying, let me assure you the vocals are much more Norther-like than Alexi's crazy screaming, and as a whole the album definitly points more towards "Dreams of Endless War" than "Hatebreeder".

But there are elements of both here that shine through on each and every track and, much like Bodom's "Hate Crew Deathroll", the mix of tracks is well executed too. This isn't just an hour of solid noise. Sure, there's ferocity right through to the end, but Omnium Gatherum can fuse together the shredding speed of Norther with the legendary guitar work of Iron Maiden - this stuff is really, really impressive.

This album is not your typical melodic death album. If you're looking for something to shove on and get headbanging to, grab some In Flames. Omnium Gatherum deserve a more cynical audience who will look at the album from a fair perspective, and if you do that you'll agree it's astonishing.

Tracks that really make me want to rush to Finland are "The Fall Went Right Through Here" and a song that won't leave my CD player for weeks, "Waste of Bereavement". Both these songs act as an epitah for just how astonishingly great Omnium Gatherum are.

So, if you didn't enjoy 'Death Unlimited', and 'Trashed, Lost & Strungout' doesn't tickle your fancy, grab a copy of 'Years in Waste' and be very, very satisfied.